Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found intensive reading programs actually improved brain performance - and physically rewired the brains - of struggling readers, according to research published this month in the journal Neuron.

"Brain imaging of children between the ages of 8 and 10 showed that the quality of white matter - the brain tissue that carries signals between areas of grey matter, where information is processed - improved substantially after the children received 100 hours of remedial training," writes ScienceDaily. "After the training, imaging indicated that the capability of the white matter to transmit signals efficiently had increased, and testing showed the children could read better."

"This opens a new era of being able to see the brain wiring change when an effective instructional treatment is applied," one of the researchers told ScienceDaily. "It lets us see educational interventions from a new perspective."

Now, if we could only afford brain imaging equipment for every school ...

About the blog

Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.